Faux Mashed Potatoes?

[Norma June]

I tried a recipe for faux mashed potatoes that called for cauliflower and either cream or cream cheese (I forget which). It was kinda runny but I liked it. However my DH did NOT.

Does anyone have a great ... spelled GREAT recipe for faux mashed potatoes that I could try on him? I tried turnip and while I liked it, it still tasted like turnip.

I'm having my LC daughter over for dinner tonight and am doing a roast of beef. I was kinda hoping that someone could provide a faux mashed potato recipe in time for dinner :) ???

p.s. I have 2 heads of cauliflower in my fridge right now. No turnip though.

ciao,
NJ

[Edited by Norma June on 06-01-01 at 10:13]

[Karen]

Hi NJ,

This is the recipe I use for Faux-toes:

http://www.lowcarber.org/karen/recipe013.html

It got rave reviews when I taught it in a cooking class and many people said they preferred it over potatoes.

This recipe is not runny, but it will still taste like cauliflower. Use cream cheese instead of the goat's cheese. The important thing is squeezing all the water out of the cauliflower. I've read some recipes where people like to add a small amount of garlic powder.

If we could only turn a pig's ear into a silk purse or a cauliflower into a potato--without the carbs! ;)

Karen

[doreen T]

I find that steaming the cauliflower or microwaving in a miniscule amount of water makes for less sogginess and runniness in the finished product.

good luck,

Doreen

[debbiedobson]

like karen says, really squeeze the water out. i use a sieve. i add a couple of cloves of squashed garlic and some chicken bovril to the water. then i add cream cheese, butter and an egg. then i stick it in the oven for about 1/2 an hour. my daughter prefers this to mashed potatoes.

[Norma June]

I'm going to try a mixture of your combined suggestions. I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

ciao, NJ

[Maren Stoy]

Hi all, :wave:
Would using frozen cauliflower in the microwave and then draining well before putting it through the food processor omit the sogginess? Any thoughts?

Maren Stoy

[Arizona B]

Ladies, steam your cauliflower and drain all of the water off of it. I then put the cauliflower back into the hot pan and let it set so the rest of the water will evaporate out. If your mixture is coming out to running then cut back on the amount of butter and cream cheese. I find if I use a small amount of heavy cream and cut back on the cream cheese it is thicker. I also add chives and garlic to my mixture. I have also found that when you use turnips if you soak the turnips in milk for about 30 minutes it takes away the stong turnip taste. i also pour a small about of milk in the water that I cook the turnips in. Let me know what you think.
Brenda

[Karen D.]

This is my favourite mock potato recipe. I'm sure I originally got it off this forum under the name "Mock Twice-Baked Potato."

1 whole cauliflower or 1 16-ounce bag frozen cauliflower (I used fresh)
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 package) softened in the microwave
1 pound cooked chopped bacon
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions (or scallions)

Steam the cauliflower until very soft. Drain well and mash with a potato masher. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Put into a casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes at 350 F.

It freezes well at the stage just before you bake it in the oven. You can put in in the oven frozen, but it then needs more than the 25 minutes, of course.

Karen D.

[MMMM Bacon]

Just an idea regarding straining the cauliflower (would work well for thawed spinach as well) - I made this recipe this afternoon and found it hard to get the veg as "dry' as I wanted. I ended up taking a clean, new dish towel and putting the squishy cauliflower in the middle, gathered up the edges and twisted them so the veg was all in a ball. Then I just twisted the towel, utwisted a bit and rerranged the veg, twisted again, etc. until little water was coming out. It was WAY faster than the other methods I've used (like the strainer and a big spoon).

[Karen]

What works the best is cooking then pureeing the cauliflower and letting it drip overnight in the fridge, in a paper towel or cloth lined seive.

You can do a big batch then freeze in meal sized portions in ziploc bags.

Karen

[Kristine]

I use coffee filters for water squeezing. :thup:

[Maren Stoy]

I have found that using a small potato masher when I have the cauliflower in the colander squeezes it out real well then I toss the cauliflower, while in the colander, & squeeze it again. It then comes out extremely dry & ready to put into the food processor to puree.

Note to the other ways of wringing it dry. I will try all of them.